MARIETTE'S BACK TO BASICS

Pages

About Me

Here
I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international
consultants. About living in Italy, the Veneto area near Venice; in Indonesia,
central Java. Why we love the southeast of the United States and moved back from
Italy. Our love for gardening, the botanical way. Sharing with you our manifold
treasures from exotic places and even offering several in my Mariette's Back to
Basics LLC Boutique, for others to enjoy. As well as high end silver items from
Giovanni Raspini, Italy |
google.com/+MariettesBacktoBasics

I
also do classes and consulting... too much to list here! Check out my google.com/+MarietteVandenMunckhofVedderABOUT page, where you see my other LINKS and email address; you just scroll down.Thanks!

Love to
bring back some romance and quality to the daily life of others...

Translate to ANY Language | Click on▼ to select, than on ► to translate...

Monday, March 19, 2018

Being the founder, principal, and teacher of the World's ONLY practical training college about mushroom growing in the world, in The Netherlands, my husband Pieter got to lecture the world over.
So here I want to start our Australia trips series with his FIRST trip to 'Down Under'.
Thank you all so very much for all the comments and visits to my previous posts written.
It means a lot to my husband, and of course to me, as it does lift up his spirit.
Let's enjoy our highlights and relive them; sharing them with you.
This post is nothing spectacular but just as an opening...

This is the official AMGA or Australian Mushroom Growers Association flyer for their 6th Mushroom Industry Short Course.
30th June - 3rd July, 1976

The above is the edited, handwritten part, printed out...

This Mushroom Short Course was open to Australian and New Zealand Mushroom Growers.
Lodging was at the Parramatta Travelodge Motel, corner of Marsden St. and Western Highway, Parramatta - Western Sydney

The venue was held at PARRAMATTA LEAGUES CLUB, at the 1st Floor.Parramatta is the river that lies close to this building, just click the pink hyperlinks.
It started out with a Welcoming Banquet and Official Opening by the Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources.Husband Pieter covered almost the entire 1st day of training.
As a Bonus Gift to all participants they offered an extract copy from Pieter's book, about 'Mushroom Pests and Diseases - Their Prevention and Control'
In the background information, there is written that his book has had 4 Dutch editions and is translated in German, French and soon in English.In the end it got translated into 8 languages and has been called the 'Mushroom Bible'.
On the 3rd and final day a Farm Walk and Practical Demonstration by Pieter at the farm of John Cox, Dural Road, Maraylya.
Also a trade exhibition of mushroom farm machinery, chemicals and growing materials.Australian Barbecue Lunch and rounded up with a General Discussion and Answering Time.

The planning for this international event had started out on the 1st of September, 1975Mr. Van Dorresteyn had been at the Practical Training Center in The Netherlands to study, as did several others.

We just learned that Mr. John W. Miller is still around!Would be great to hear from others as well...

Husband Pieter did stay in Australia from June 28 till July 14, 1976.He did visit 11 different Mushroom farms after the Short Course with over 100 participants from all over Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.
Before and after the Short Course, Pieter did visit the following mushroom farms:
1. Joe van Dorresteyn (Dutch/Australian)
2. John Seltenrych (Dutch/Australian)
3. Norman Johnson
4. Robert N Tolson
5. Graham Price
6. John W. Baker
7. Johnny Cox
8. Hank Young (Dutch/Australian)
9. Sannen brothers (Dutch/Australian)
10. Name forgotten
11. Name forgotten...
From the Windsor area and Victoria areaIf any readers would recognize a name here and have further information; please!

Windsor (Main Mushroom Growing areaParramatta where the Short Course Venue happenedNorth Sydney and City

Home and surroundings of mushroom grower Robert N Tolson in 1976, later he built a beautiful home on the Hawkesbury river.Keep in mind that end of June and early July is winter in Australia! Winter is in June, July and August...

1976 Price Mokrings The Best Mushroom Spawn

Photo taken from the rural area of Hank Young's place in 1976.

Also taken from Hank Young's place in 1976.

Australian newspaper publication from that period in 1976.
From left to right: husband Pieter, with Mr. John Cox and then Australian Mushroom Grower's Association secretary Mr. John Miller, at Mr. Cox's Maraylya farm.Photo by Ron Hambridge

Sure such trips to Australia were far from a vacation or sight seeing trip, but husband Pieter did enjoy it very much and he felt honored for being invited to speak and teach.It taught him the vastness of this great continent, such a contrast with The Netherlands, the most densely populated country of the European Union and one of the most densely populated countries in the world!

The above 2 photos of Jackson Square are made on Monday as we walked past without any rain.
We did however manage to walk back to our hotel on Sunday, after Mass.Pieter took a nap and next we went in 3 minutes walking to The National WWII Museum.

Husband Pieter in front of THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM

Me in front of THE NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM with the huge WWII sign on top, next to the tree.The Museum Campus is HUGE, you can see it on photos in the above link.Do you notice the red bricks?

Commemorative Bricks or ROAD TO VICTORY BRICKS that could be purchased for $ 250 to honor a personal hero.NAMES of fallen HEROES... those that served during WWII and civilians.Just click on the pink hyperlink for more info.

Here you can read the complete text on a FB Page from Studio EIS, who did this bronze sculpture.It is just over 1 year old.My husband Pieter, who was a teen during WWII, did enjoy this museum tremendously.There is a departing train, all set in the time of the 40s and you follow a personal screen with video.The outside windows do transfer you back in time with a real movie being shown.
Then you are ready to explore the wonderful museum with video on the walls and spoken narrative and lots of artifacts too.There is everywhere a chance to sit down while watching a short video of that section, so even elderly can enjoy it!We did go to The American Sector, a 1940s style restaurant American Classics with a Gourmet Twist, convenientlywithin The National WWII Museum, without having to go onto the street.
Even though you can have dinner there without visiting the Museum, click on link for info from which street to enter.

The food was absolutely delicious and the price of a drink during Happy hour (daily from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM) is half-priced.
We went for a Chicken & Andouille Gumbo (served with rice) and a delicious Victory Garden Salad with Greens, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Shaved Radishes and Champagne Vinaigrette.

Everything does take you back to the 1940s, even the bill presentation in this flat tin!

Close to our hotel, Pieter leaning against these balls...

A perfect Sunday with a total walking distance of 5.5 km or 8,846 steps.
We traveled very light this trip with only 1 carry on for both of us and my Kipling backpack.Pieter had nothing to carry and he thus managed very well!
On Monday we walked back to the French Quarter and past Jackson Square where I then took the first photos.

We both felt very safe near Jackson Square with the sight of this French Quarter Task Force New Orleans vehicle... 😘

So we walked a little further to the Old Ursuline Convent.The Oldest building in Mississippi Valley1749-1753
Make sure you click on the above pink hyperlink as their website is incredible and it gives you a perfect aerial oversight!

New Orleans Oldest and Most Historic Building

This was really stepping back in time on this Ursuline Timeline.1727 Ursuline nuns arrive in New Orleans from France.

The Ursuline Convent is the oldest institution of learning for women in the present USA.

We visited on Monday and this photo I took from the inside garden where still part of the Wedding Reception Tent is visible.
Every weekend they have a Wedding Mass at St. Mary's Church and they offer their court yard for wedding receptions.

Detail of altarTalented artists gave their very best to create this in honor of God and the Holy Mary.

Photo of the ceiling and organ of St. Mary's Church with husband Pieter sitting in the pew, before I joined him there, for a quiet and peaceful moment in prayer.It was a very special trip for both of us.One with a lot of religious meaning as we are so far away from family and with Mom and my sister and ALL of Pieter's siblings and Parents in heaven.Praying for Peace in this World and also between family members as some have strayed away from their heavenly Father.As for Pieter, with his heart condition he's on the edge of moving to heaven and each day is a gift from God!

We did stop at the golden statue of Joan of Arc, Maid of Orleans 1412-1431A gift from the people of France to the citizens of New OrleansIn Dutch and in French we call her Jeanne d'Arc

This is where the Joan of Arc statue is located in-between Decatur St. and N Peters St.

NOW it was time for a special, historic treat at the Original Café Du Monde.
The one at 800 Decatur Street, 70116 New Orleans and open 24 hours a day!
This familiar New Orleans landmark has been located in the French Market since the early 1860's.

Pieter happily smiling with his café au lait and our shared saucer with hot French beignets.
A small glass of water (delicious water!) got also served with it.Those French beignets brought back fond memories of my dear Mom as she used to bake them for New Year's Eve; Apple Beignets or Apple Fritters in English.
Sure don't understand why they use such EXCESSIVE powdered sugar?!

We opted for the quiet indoor seating and here you look out onto the large covered patio for outdoor seating.
A great experience and I did not heed my diabetes type 2 diet!Loved the memory of Mom's baking too much...For Pieter it was the very same childhood memory as also his Mom did bake them!We have been under French rule so long that there is lots of French culture in the South of The Netherlands.

Back on Jackson Square in front of Jackson's statue and the Cathedral-Basilica where I stand next to an antique cast iron urn with plant.It is only 2 minutes walking distance from Café Du Monde!There also was a fabulous cast iron fence all around...

In the morning we had seen this statue from the other side of the road and wanted to have a closer look now.

It is in-between Decatur St and N Peters St

Jean Baptiste de Moyne de Bienville Founder of New Orleans 1717 from Canada.Slouched at his feet is a generic, nearly nude Indian... holding a peace pipe.Standing with his back to Bienville is Father Athanase, a Recollect monk.
Click here for The Bienville Monument New Orleans by Andria Patino to have a far better look from the other side.That was our two-day history trip back to New Orleans.
Sure one could stay for many more days but I wanted to be back in time for choir rehearsal on Tuesday.Our flight back with Delta was great; that means check in and TSA screening.In Atlanta,for our flightto New Orleans, it was a disaster as they herded both of us to the main queue, regardless of our TSA PreCheck status!

Clearly the TSA Pre is marked green above the code!Then they took my MacBook and said it had to be removed from its case and go through again.While they were searching our carry on, my MacBook was carried back for another screening.
Actually 3 black women were messing with it, my clean and neatly folded undies were dropped onto the floor and things got stomped back into the carry on.
After a very SLOW pestering search I asked for my MacBook as it never showed up on the belt.One of the three barked back at me telling me that I never had a 'laptop'!Oh yes I said, my rosé MacBook and you took it back, after I removed it out of its burgundy case you certainly took both back.She started getting louder and louder and I insisted to see the supervisor.
A black gentleman came and the 3 women were very loud screaming that I didn't have one.I kept calm and described it to him, and also the burgundy case.
He then said,if you HAD it, then it must show up on camera, we do capture everything daily.
I was not allowed to step into that section but he soon said; yeah, there it IS!
Miraculously the TSA women came walking up to him and me with my MacBook in hand.
On line I found out that Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson ranks 4th in TSA theft firings... and that was in 2012!
What a difference with the absolute courtesy we received in New Orleans where our TSA PreCheck did get honored and no shoes off and no MacBook out of its case.
Guess next time we fly from Savannah, I'd rather enjoy reading a good book instead of such a stress situation again. It took us 1 hour and we barely made it to the gate.
I was so worried about my poor Pieter, with his very weak heart condition.
He cannot walk fast, let alone run.

Thanks for your visit!

Related links:
Saint Louis was King Louis IX of France | story of this ONLY French King being declared a saint

There was a statue of PADRE PIO near the entrance gate.
"THIS HUMBLE CAPUCHIN FRIAR SURPRISED THE
WORLD WITH HIS LIFE TOTALLY DEDICATED TO
PRAYER AND TO LISTENING TO HIS BROTHERS
AND SISTERS. HIS BODY, MARKED BY THE STIGMATA,
DEMONSTRATED THE INTIMATE CONNECTION
BETWEEN DEATH AND RESURRECTION

We toured this City of the Dead shortly after 9:00 AM and the bus did drive through areas with nice historical homes but most time was spent on the UNO and we got an ear full of sports information.
Sports is NOT the most important thing and certainly does not represent NOLAS history well.

Very disappointing that we did not enter more in depth into the true history of this beautiful city, the way I'd experienced it in 1988 when I was on a bus tour.
We only stopped at some café where coffee and beignets could be had and there was a gift shop.

Sure the bus did drive past those stately mansions and we also did visit history museum.

The tour bus did drive past the beautiful St. Louis Cathedral Basilica, where the statue of General Andrew Jackson is standing in the center of Jackson square.
This is from Southern Lady magazine March/April 2009...Saved because we were dreaming of this!